Lion Prince
by Thousandsmiles
Summary: How would would they be, if Kili and Fili never met each other? Kili goes on a search for the older brother he has never seen. Will he find him? And if he does, how would Fili react to him? Modern AU. No slash
1. Prologue

How do you pick up from where you never started off? All I've ever had were stories. Not even memories. And for him, not even those. And yet somehow I feel as if we're inexorably tied together with the strings of fate. Yes, we were connected in one way but that didn't matter if the heart didn't care. But I feel somehow that wherever he is he does care. Even if he has never known me. I know I do. But fate can be a bitch sometimes.

Master B. said that fate chooses what is meant for each of our paths and it is not our part to complain but to walk the path laid out for us. Fate never does anything without care. "There are lessons to be learned laddie, from each step of the way, even if you do not know it. Leave Fate up to her devices and get on with your own."

Of course that mysticism seems like crap in this day and age, what with all the technology around. Humans it seems like to decide their own fate. But when Master B says anything, it hard to laugh. You just get the feeling that he's lived so long, and knows so much, that anything that comes out of his mouth is wisdom.

The same I way I get that the feeling that we're connected, he and I. Like one day I'll find him and maybe get rid of the sadness in mum's and uncle's faces. Maybe get to see my brother for the first time.

With hopes so crazy, a little mysticism isn't so bad. But then, I've always been reckless and crazy. Always willing to take the risk. Always rather suffering the rod than refraining. That's just me: Kili Durin, heir to Erebor Corps, largest security firm for all manner of businesses that deal in jewelry and other forms of precious metals and gems. And I'm on a mission to find my brother whom I have never seen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

Kili stood across the road and stared up at the tall skyscraper, appearing to be made of entirely dark glass. Of course at night, the glass was always dark. Faint muted light came from inside, from the uppermost floors. But you could hardly see it. It was blotted out by the greater source of light: the sign that said Erebor Corps, splayed on the top of the building. Kili stood a few more minutes in the street looking at the building, with the wind whipping up his long black hair around his face, trying to work up the nerve to go inside and face his mother and uncle, while simultaneously wondering if there was a way he could sneak up without them knowing it, and get to his room. The rational part of his mind told him that that was impossible. Erebor Corps was a security business. If they couldn't catch someone sneaking into their own building, then how were they going to be able to protect the business that relied on them? And Kili knew Erebor Corps was the best in the business. Besides he already had all his failures from his attempts to sneak away while grounded to remind him, in case he forgot. He sighed and tilted his face into the wind, enjoying its cool touch on his severely bruised cheekbones and his busted mouth. Then he sighed again and turned back to face the building and jammed his hands into his jacket pockets. There was nothing for it, he had to go in sometime .He crossed the street and entered the building.

Kili being Kili, of course, still tried to sneak in. He made it all the way to the penthouse on the top floor without any encounters and had just stealthily entered the apartment and was in the act of turning down the corridor towards his room when a voice spoke out.

"Where have you been boy?"

Kili suppressed the urge to hunch his shoulders and turned slowly to face his uncle. Behind him was his mother, Dis. When she saw his face she gave a little gasp.

"Oh Kili!" she said, "Not again!" Kili fought not to flinch. He hated it when his mother saw him this way. He hated the look that she got on her face. This half angry, half sorrowful look. He hated the fear and anxiety he saw in her eyes. The anger he could take, not the rest. He switched his gaze back to his uncle quickly.

His Uncle Thorin's face was like stone. He turned slightly and gestured Dis away. She started to protest but he gave her a single look. She stared back at him just as fiercely. They glared at each other for a moment and then something seemed to pass between them and Dis turned and left without another word.

Kili stood awkwardly to the side and waited for is Uncle's wrath to fall on him. He flinched when Thorin's intense, blue eyes locked with his own dark ones.

Slowly he repeated his question, in his deep rumbling voice, that seemed to shake the very ground from under him, "Where. Have. You. Been. Boy?" Kili remembered a time when that rumbling voice would put him to sleep after nightmares, when it would soothe him as he lay on his uncle's chest, while Thorin read him bedtime stories. It was a long time ago.

As was his custom, Kili refrained from answering. Thorin waited, Kili kept silent. The tension in the room was increasing with every breath they both took. After a while, Thorin shifted tactics in the usual way.

"What were you doing boy?"

As was his custom, Kili still refrained from answering. Thorin waited, Kili kept silent. His Uncle's anger was palpable. Kili always wondered why he thought that he would ever get another answer.

"Why are you so ungrateful?"

Kili's head which had been bent for most of the conversation, shot up at the unfamiliar question.

"And do you care nothing for your mother? Must you give her more grief and pain to live with?"

At that Kili flinched sharply, the words cutting deep. He fought to keep his face in control.

"Do you think that we spend our time training you, for you to go out and fight like a vagabond in the streets?" Thorin continued.

"Have you no sense of responsibility towards your duty? You are to be head of this company. Do you plan to run off fighting then? Do you plan to let it run to the ground and deprive hardworking people of their jobs?"

Kili opened his mouth to argue, rage kindled by Thorin's earlier statements, but Thorin went on relentlessly.

"And if you have no sense of duty toward the company, then do you have none toward your family? Are you going to cost your mother another son for the sake of your cheap thrills?"

"Shut up!" Kili snarled, at the last jab. Then just as quickly shut his mouth, not quite believing that he had just snapped at his Uncle. Oh they had quarreled before, but he had never told his Uncle to shut up. Even he didn't quite dare yet. Or hadn't quite dared yet. That cat was now out of the bag.

Thorin looked as surprised as Kili felt. Then his brow creased with anger. But before he could say anything Kili continued with his moment of advantage.

"You don't know anything about me!" he said, "And don't talk about duty to family to me. All you care about is the company. You only care about me because I'm your heir. But you don't really care. About me or anything I do. All you worry is how it will look on the company's reputation. I could disappear just like he did, and all you would mourn is the loss of another heir for your company! You don't know me at all Uncle. You never have!" His voice shook for the last part.

When he saw his Uncle's face darken further, he knew he had gone too far. Without waiting for Thorin to saw anything, Kili turned around and stalked to his room and slammed the door.

Once inside, away from his Uncle's wrath, and his pain, Kili allowed himself to show emotion. He let out a shaky sigh, hating the way he could hear the tears within it, and slide down to door to sit on the floor. He spent a long time with his head resting on his arm which was propped up on a knee, just breathing in and out as deeply as possible as he fought to overcome rage or tears. He wasn't sure which one. Maybe both. He was so angry and hurt at Thorin but at the same time he felt guilty about what he said.

He knew it wasn't true. Thorin had been like a father t to him. His only father. Albeit a gruff one, but he had always cared for him. He still cared for him. It was the only reason why he hadn't given up on him yet. And he also felt guilty about his mother. He knew she would be worried. She was always worried. She tried to keep him safe. She couldn't afford to lose her only son left. He knew that. And it hurt him, every time, to see her face, when he came back hurt.

Kili took a couple more breaths to steady himself. He really hated himself sometimes. But he knew that if they ever found out what he was doing, they'd ban him from it. Of course, they actually had, but they didn't know what it was really that they had banned him from. If they knew, they'd really ban him. And he couldn't afford to let them know. Couldn't let them hope. Not when there was every chance for their hopes to be dashed. Besides, they'd tell him to stop, to deal with it. Like they did.

Kili gave a little half choked laugh at that thought. Anyone could see that they were not dealing with it. Had never truly dealt with it. Nineteen years later, and it still dictated a large part of their actions. The most they had done was force themselves to go through the actions of living. Kili hated it. Hated the fact that he knew they weren't the people they should be. Hated the fact that he had never in his life, seen those people. That all he had grown up with were shells of people. Oh he knew they loved him, but it was with all the love that hollowed out people could give. He couldn't hate them for it. Oh it rankled sometimes but he understood. There were days when he felt hollow himself. When he felt like something that should have been there was gone, hadn't never been there for him. And it was something that should never be gone. Like air or sunlight.

He took a deep breath again. Then he levered himself off the floor and promptly blanked his mind, allowing his anger to slide away. Thinking was going to do him no help tonight and neither was anger. He could think and be angry another time. There were things he had to do.

He headed to his little bathroom and peeled off his clothes and inspected his bruises. He had some spectacular ones all over his abdomen from when the last guy had grabbed him by the hair and punched him several times in the stomach. The skin over his knuckles was split and his cheekbones were bruised and his lips were busted. He sighed again and stepped into the shower.

_Big brother, you really are a lot of trouble._

When he done took out his own first aid kit and treated his injuries with the practiced ease of one who had done so many times. When that was done, he got his little book out of his secret hiding place and scratched a name off of it. His brother wasn't there. He looked at the next name on the list and rested the pencil he was using thoughtfully on his lips. He would have to figure out how to get there. From what he had heard, this place was notoriously difficult to find. He sighed and closed his book and stowed it away again. He'd have to get outside help and he knew just who to go too. He only hoped they would help him. His mind made up he dropped into his bed and fell asleep.

Outside, in the living room, oblivious to Kili, his mother sat in one of the couches weeping softly, while his Uncle sat facing the city, wreathed with smoke from the pipe he held in one hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry I took so long to update. First I got sick and then I was writing other things and stuff happened and well...yeah. But I'm back, yea! Hope you guy's like this chapter. I know i changed up some of what the Company looked like but this is a modern AU so I doubt that they'd all look like how we know them to look. Still I tried to keep them looking somewhat like themselves.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

Kili woke when the clock awoke him. He and that clock weren't friends but it saved him from more trouble than he would like, so they had a truce of sorts. He took off the alarm which was cheerfully announcing it was six in the morning and groaned out of bed. He changed and headed down to the training room, as was custom, before doing anything else. It was his routine for as long as he could remember. Erebor Corps. Made sure its people were the best. As its heir, he had to be the best. Not that he minded. He usually liked training. Usually. This morning he hurt so much, he didn't want to see another human being, much less one which was trying to fight him and teach him, all at the same time. No such luck there though.

He entered the training room which was already full of some the other members which Kili had taken to calling the Company. As he walked in Mister Dwalin, his trainer gave him a stern once over and motioned for him to come. Kili groaned inwardly and went. Dwalin surveyed him more closely and said

"Get your gloves."

And that was that. Kili fetched his gloves and ran through a long and tiring session with Mister Dwalin, who carefully proceeded to show him everything he did wrong to get the bruises he had. He incidentally landed a few more. But Kili didn't mind. The fight helped his head clear a little and workout was a great way to work the stiffness out of his body and an equally nice way to start the day. Even if he was hurting more by the time he finished.

But when he was done he sat in a corner of the room, watching the rest of the company practice, while he cooled down and drank a bottle of water and mopped sweat off his face and body.

Mister Balin, whom Kili always called Mister B. was carefully instructing Ori, the only other youngster in the company besides Kili, how to do a certain stance. Mr. B. was the head advisor and exchequer of Erebor Corps and had had that role from since in Kili's Great-grandfather's time. He had white hair and a short white beard.

Working on the punch bags was Ori's older brother, Dori, who despite all appearances of being a fairly docile soul, was making an impressive dent in those bags. He had white hair which was a little long and held back in a tight pony tail. As far as Kili knew, his job entailed keeping Erebor Corps. together. He ensured everyone was on time. Meeting places were scheduled. The meetings themselves were carefully planned. Everyone got the memos they were supposed to. Things like that. They would fall apart inside of a day without him.

In the ring were Bofur and Nori were going at it, grinning at each other through their face masks as they tried to avoid each other's punches and kicks. Nori was a sneaky fighter, but Bofur was a solid one. It suited their personalities. Nori, older brother to Ori and younger to Dori, was in charge of the surveillance aspect of Erebor Corps. and he was darn good at his job. Bofur was their figure head. He was the one who met with their clients and made the business deals etc. Uncle Thorin was far too frightening for such work and Bofur had a way of making people feel at ease. In the ring both fighters came to a draw and pulled of their helmets, causing their hair to cascade down. While both of them had long hair they wore it in very different ways. Nori kept his red hair in a ponytail with a small slightly pointed muff on top of his head. He pulled off the look somehow. Bofur kept his shorter hair tightly pulled back in a braid and, when off duty, wore a ridiculous cap over it. Both had close cropped beards and Bofur sported a faint mustache.

Oin, the head of their medical personnel was not practicing but was alternating, keeping an eye on the persons in the room and instructing a new recruit on the ins and outs of Erebor Corps.' protocol. He had bushy hair, white from age, ('and grief at having to take care of such ridiculous devils such as you!' he'd often said) and a short, equally white beard.

Gloin, the fiery red head, and Oin's brother, who was lifting weights in the corner, was in charge of Erebor Corps.'s Vehicles.

Bomber, Bofur's brother, and their chief cook was putting in a set of tracks on the treadmill. While many people would look at Bomber and think him unfit because of his rather large size, Kili was not one of those. He had seen the big guy move and it was downright scary when you were in his path. He was an excellent fighter. His skill in the kitchen however, far superseded his skin as a fighter. A fact no one complained about.

Mr. Dwalin, the main trainer for Erebor Corps. was currently now helping Ori in another one of the fighting stances. He was taller than most of the company and was bald with tattoos all over. Kili had thought, and still did, that Mr. Dwalin was scary, despite knowing his heart was in the right place.

Ori, who was a few years older than Kili, although he didn't look it, was not the most training inclined of them. His skill lay in writing and drawing and he was Mr. Balin's student and aide. His true job however lay in sketching the schematics of the buildings they were hired to protect. Uncle Thorin always liked to have their own schematics from which they could work and Ori also knew how to draw the buildings from the angles that would be the most helpful. His ginger coloured hair was cut into an unattractive bowl shape, no doubt given to him by Dori. Kili pitied Ori sometimes. He hoped one day that Dori would let up on Ori and let him grow a little. But then again, he sort of wished for the same thing for himself.

And last, but certainly not least of the company was Bifer, cousin to Bofur and Bomber. Bifer had a knife in his head from an incident since before Kili's birth. By some miracle he had survived but taking out the knife was far too dangerous. So Bifer remained with it. However speaking seemed difficult for him to do since then and he had started to use sign language instead, which resulted in pretty much everyone on the company learning sign language fluently. Bifer helped Dwalin with the training and Nori with setting up his equipment.

And well, then there was his mother who sometimes showed up in the training room and terrorized them all. Thankfully she wasn't here today. Dis took over the entire computer aspect of Erebor's running from her husband Fain, when he had died. His mother was an excellent hacker. It was the main reason why Kili never left anything of importance on his laptop and wrote down whatever he had to remember and just hid it. If it was on cyberspace, his mother would find it.

Kili took another swig of water from his bottle and was about to get up when Ori came over and sat down next to him. He held out his hand and Kili gave him the bottle. He gingerly wiped off the top of the bottle and drank from it.

"Hey you're coming with me later?" he asked.

"Later?" said Kili confused.

Ori nodded. "We have a new client so I need to go draw out the building. Mr. Balin said you might go with me."

Kili looked over to Mr. Balin, who was carefully not looking at him. He turned back to Ori.

"So everyone heard what happened last night huh?"

Ori flushed. "Nori caught it on tape," he said quietly, "And even if he didn't, we would have known. You're bruised up pretty badly this morning, even though you tried not to show it."

Kili grimaced. "Mr. Dwalin hits hard."

"But are you okay?" Ori asked, looking worried.

"Yeah sure, I'm fine. Nothing new really," he said, trying to brush it off. He hated people being worried about him.

"So are you coming?" asked Ori.

Kili nodded. "Sure, I need to get to out of the building anyway. It may be a bit too small to hold me and Uncle today."

Ori grimaced but nodded.

"Meet me around ten then," he said and got up and walked off.

Kili levered himself to his feet and walked out the room himself. He tried to ignore the knowing look Mr. B. gave him as he went out.

Kili stole breakfast from the sideboard in the dining room and went up to the roof to eat it in peace. Then he puttered around doing various things and keeping out of the way of both his mother and his uncle until ten o' clock reach and he was legitimately released from the building to accompany Ori.

They drove out to the place, another big name jewelry store, where Kili waited patiently for Ori to draw out each floor in diagram floor and then do each floor in detail. Then draw each one from various angles, etc. While he was drawing, Kili took his own observations of the building, noting where would be the best places for cameras to go, where the guards would have to stand, how fortified the building was, doing mental checks of what they would have to add to make the place properly secure and a hundred little trivial details that his training taught him to take notice of.

Finally Ori announced that he was done. They piled back into the car but instead of going strait back to the headquarters, Kili took the car to the subway where he parked, tossed the keys to Ori and said, "Tell them I'll be back before dinner."

"Kili!" said Ori startled as Kili got out of the car, "Wait! You can't do this! Not so soon! Thorin will have you head! Kili!"

But it was too late. Kili was already inside the subway, pushing his way into the crowd. It was a good time as any to go to his outside help. If he didn't take this chance now, Uncle just might make it difficult for him to get out of the headquarters. So he'd take his chances with Uncle's increased wrath, at least he'd have his information.


	4. Chapter 4

Kili finally dropped out of the taxi he had taken from the subway and found himself staring at a simple two story building. It was large, wide, and sort of squat but comfy looking. Like the building was always brooding or always super cheerful. It suited its owner. The sign in front of the building simply said, 'Beorn's House.' Which, Kili reflected was a good name for it because in all his years of knowing Beorn's house, he couldn't quite figure out what it was, that the company called Beorn's House, really did. As far as he knew, it was a surveillance company. However they also had a honey farm and he had even picked up bits and pieces that said they also dealt with horses, somewhere or the other and Kili couldn't figure if one was a front or if they really did all of that and if so, well, Beorn was a little strange.

The story of how he met Beorn was also a long and complicated one and involved a strange, old man, with a long gray beard, in an equally gray bathrobe, who happened, at the time, to be drinking a glass of red wine and smoking. Kili had no idea what possessed him to actually listen to the old man, but hey, he was glad he did.

He entered the building and went over to the secretary who gave him a dirty look. Kili gave him his most charming smile and said, "Hey, I know he doesn't do things without appointment, but can you just tell him I'm here?"

The smile did nothing to help him, which was pretty fair, since Kili almost never had an appointment. Still, the secretary pressed the intercom and relayed that, one Kili Durin was here. Kili heard the deep voice of Beorn growl out something. The secretary turned back to him and said, "You'll have to wait, he has a client with him right now. But you're lucky he has an opening in his schedule today." Kili nodded, gave another smile for good measure and retreated to the waiting area.

About half an hour passed during which Kili read some of the magazines on the small table there, for lack of anything better to do. He was in the middle of reading something about polar bears and floating gardens when the secretary called him and told him that he would be seen now. Kili got up, nodded his thanks again and went down the familiar hallway and knocked on the door to Beorn's office. He always knocked; his first visit had taught him that.

Beorn's by now familiar growl, called for him to come in. When he went in, Beorn looked him up and down and said, "Haven't seen you awhile cub."

Kili grinned back at the bear-like man. "I've been busy," he said.

"Ahh, yes, chasing the trail that is too cold, eh?"

Kili nodded and took a seat. "Actually, that's why I'm sort of here. I need help."

"You always need help cub," said Beorn, "You don't come otherwise. You should drop in for a cup of tea sometimes."

Kili suppressed a wince, he hated tea. "I'll, I'll think about it," he said.

Beorn nodded and looked pleased. Then he looked Kili up and down again and said, "I heard you won last night, cub."

Kili grinned. He wasn't surprised that Beorn knew. His people were everywhere. He said, "of course I did." Then upon noticing Beorn's pointed stare at his bruises, he added quickly, "but I paid for it though."

"During the fight or after you got home?"

Kili winced. Beorn was probably the only other person who knew what went on in Kili's life, beside Kili. A fact he found ironic.

"Both," he replied, "but I need a favor."

"Of course cub, I thought we acknowledged that already. What is it that you have come to beggar me for this time?" Beorn asked.

Kili ignored the choice of words, leaned back in his chair and said, "I need the location and way of entry for the Dragon's Den."

"The Dragon's Den," he repeated thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Kili said, "It's the last place for me to check in Dale. And I've heard from the grapevine that they've only recently circled back to Dale. And it's also a place that does long term 'investments' and they were here when it happened. It's my last shot of finding him before I have to look farther."

Beorn was silent and then nodded. He pulled out a pad of paper from his desk and scribbled something on it. Then he ripped out the paper and gave it to Kili.

"That's the address and the way of entry there, cub."

Kili took it and put it into his jeans pocket.

"Thank you." He said but Beorn laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them.

"Do you know who owns the Dragon's Den?" he asked.

Kili shook his head.

"He tried to take over Erebor Corps. once, in your Great grandfather's time. He is called the Dragon King."

Kili's eyebrows rose, "What?" he said.

Beorn nodded. "He was ousted, but it was a lose thing."

"But he must be pretty old now right?" said Kili, ever practical.

Beorn nodded, "But that cub, doesn't mean he's weak. His kin always live long and always are strong."

"There's more of them?"

Beorn growled slightly, "Not kin, not really. But men of his type." He put his arms out the desk and leaned forward and looked Kili in the eyes. Kili tore his eyes away from the arms bulging with corded muscle.

"None walks into any Dragon's Den without caution, cub. This will not be like any of the places you've been to before. The Dragon King keeps only the best."

Kili narrowed his eyes, "Then he will definitely be there."

Beorn leaned back and eyed Kili. "You are a stubborn cub," He said, "but an admirable one. You owe me a favor cub, remember that. Dead cubs do not repay favors and I want my favor." He jerked his head at the door and Kili got u bowed and turned to door.

"Cub," said Beorn from behind him. Kili tuned and grinned. He picked up the tiny jar of honey from the desk, thanked Beorn and walked out the office. He nodded to the secretary and headed out the building.

He hailed a taxi and gave instructions to the subway and then settled into the seat, rolling the jar of honey between his palms while he pondered what Beorn had said. Those last few lines…..He'd been telling him to come back alive. In his own way of course. Kili had long known that Beorn had taken a liking to him, although, he hadn't quite figured it out on his own. It was the employees who, upon discovering that Beorn gave Kili honey, told him that he must really have made an impression. Master Beorn never gave out his honey.

But to tell him to come back alive…..The Dragon's Den must be something else. Too bad they had never met Kili Durin yet. Kili grinned; he'd give them a run for their money and find his brother. He looked at the jar of honey and then decided, why not. He opened it and started eating.


	5. Chapter 5

**So hey, I'm back! Sorry for taking so long! So you finally get to see what happened to Fili and the reason for Kili's behaviour. Really hopes it makes sense. Hope you all enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit! **

Kili leaned his head on the window of the train, staring unseeingly outside as the scenes outside flashed by. Nineteen years. It had been nineteen years since the 'big disaster'. It had started with Fili. Fili, his big brother. Fili had been kidnapped when he was just four and Kili was just an embryo in his mother's womb. Erebor Corps. had searched everywhere. They contacted everyone they knew who might be able to help. They sent out pictures. They had news bulletins but, but Fili had never been found. There had been a set of mass kidnappings in the area around that time. Fili was one of the last children to go. Most likely, the authorities had told them, they had already moved with the children. Still his parents and Thorin and the rest of the Company still searched on. But it was to no avail. Fili wasn't found.

A few months after that, a new tragedy struck his family. His, father, Fain, was killed during a job when some bandits came to raid one of the places they were guarding. His mother had nearly lost it. It was only the thought of her unborn child that helped her to make it through. And then after, it was the thought of her newborn child, whom she had tearfully named Kili, after his brother, and her own brother Thorin, that had helped her to get back on her feet.

And so Kili had grown up among the members of the company, hearing stories about his father from them, because his mother would only get tearful if he asked, and of his older brother, Fili. For some reason, it was the stories of Fili, that interested him the most. He supposed he should have been more interested in the ones about his father but Kili had had Thorin as father. And Thorin had very cool stories about him. And also, perhaps the stories of Fili interested him, because it was about someone around his age. But it always felt like more.

Fili was everything Kili was supposed to be. Even from the tender age of four, that was apparent. He was smart, they'd say. Smartest kid we've ever seen. Perceptive, Mr. B. had said. It was as if Fili had been born knowing his place in the world and had accepted it and was ready to fill it. He learned fast. He picked out things that other people overlooked. He had an analytical mind that was to be admired. And he was just four bloody years old!

Kili supposed that having a role model who had out stripped him at the age of four, he was supposed to hate the guy, but he didn't. You couldn't. Fili was, Fili was, well, Fili was like sunlight. And that wasn't just because of his blond hair. No, Fili was like sunlight because when he'd walk into a room, he'd light it up with his smiles and antics. Fili was like sunshine, because he could brighten your day with a few words. Fili was like sunshine because he'd make your worries go away with the simplest, childish logic, that somehow made sense. Fili was a sun his parents' life. In the Company's life. And he would have been a sun in Kili's life. But Kili had never felt those rays. He'd often wondered what it would have been to have a brother like that. Of course, he could have turned out to be a prig. And terribly full of himself brat, who looked down on younger siblings. But Kili couldn't believe it. Not really. There was something, something when they talked about him, that told him, that he wouldn't have been like that.

In fact, Mr. B. had told him that one of the things that made losing Fili so hard, was the fact that, you could see the type of person he would become. And to lose that. To know that you'd never see it or that it might never come to fruition….Well, "It's shattering laddie. Losing someone who had so much promise. Losing someone who had made such an impact in so short a time…It's a hard thing lad."

Because Fili was a Prince. Because, yes, Uncle Thorin, no matter what anyone said, was a King. Kili well, Kili looked like one of the lesser servants of the King. He didn't have the kingliness. The majesty. He was just, Kili. He looked like a trouble maker. He was a trouble maker. There was nothing neither prince like or king like about him.

Kili supposed that being so different from Fili; he should like him at all. But there was something. It was kinda like that feeling you get, when someone's telling a really good story, and you feel like you're actually there. It was something like that. That pull and tug feeling, he would get, whenever he would hear about Fili. Like they were connected in some way. As if on some level they knew and understood each other. Which, quite frankly, was pretty weird. But Kili didn't question it. He used too, when he was younger, but not now, not anymore. He was looking for his brother and he was going to find him.

Which was here Beorn had come in. Kili didn't know how his family had missed out Beorn, when they had done a sweep of all the surveillance companies who had been in the area after Fili had been kidnapped, but somehow they had. But Kili hadn't. Of course, most of that was due to the weird old man. Beorn hadn't had footage of Fili's kidnapping, but he had had information about the possibility of the nature of the kidnappers.

Fighting Rings. There were some fighting rings that made, what they called, long term investments. They'd take children and train them how to fight, make them prime fighters. Some rings even had fights among children. The fighting rings were recruiting around the time Fili had gotten kidnapped. Still, most of them had already moved out, by the time he had gone missing, so it was a long shot, to try and find him in one of them. But Kili had been willing to take that ridiculously long shot. He'd been willing to fight his way through every fighting ring he could, hoping to catch a glimpse of his brother. Hoping to find him and bring him home. Because that's what he was going to do: find his brother and bring him back home. No matter the cost.


	6. Chapter 6

**Phew this chapter was hard to write. Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

Kili had known he was going to be in trouble, when he realized he was late for dinner. What he hadn't realized was how much trouble. A fact that had come into extreme clarity, in the shape of his mother, who was leaning against the doorway of the main entrance into Erebor Corps. Kili stopped dead on the sidewalk, knowing that there was no other entrance he could use, because his mother would have ensured that all were firmly closed. The only way to get in was to go past his mother. Something he was not relishing at the moment. Dis eyed him. Kili felt his already tired legs go weak and then freeze to the floor. In some abstract part of his mind, he was wondering how it was that parents, especially mothers, acquired that super power.

"Kili Durin," said his mother, "where have you been?"

Kili floundered for an answer. "To see someone," he finally managed.

"Someone," said Dis. Kili flinched at the way she rolled the word around her tongue. "Who, is this someone?"

"A friend," Kili replied and inwardly winced as he realized that probably wasn't the best thing to say.

"A friend," repeated Dis and Kili once more flinched at the way she stretched out the words. "I see."

Kili was pretty sure she was seeing the wrong thing but he knew from experience not to speak, unless spoken to. Actually, he still got in trouble for speaking even when she asked him a question. Parents, it was confusing. Kili never understood that part.

"One of your friends that you hang out with at night? One of your friends that you go street fighting with? Perhaps the same friend who had suggested it to you?"

Kili winced at the tone of sure death coming from Dis yet he was unable to do anything more, his mother's stare having affixed him to that spot on the sidewalk and partially paralyzed him.

"Let me tell you something, Kili. You are not entering this building , until I get a proper explanation from you. And 'a friend' is not a proper explanation. Do you understand me?"

Kili nodded.

"Good," she said. She settled herself back against the doorway and recrossed her arms. "I'm waiting," she told him.

Kili stood on the sidewalk and began deliberating what he could possibly tell her. In the end, he settled for what was now his most sure defense, silence. It was probably his most sure way, to killed by his mother too, but Kili didn't want to lie to his mother anymore that he already did. Besides, he couldn't think of anything. At any rate, anything that she would believe. And the he'd be in double trouble, if he lied to her.

So he stood on the sidewalk, staring at her and she leaned against the doorway, staring at him. Kili fought to ignore the heavy tension in the air that seemed to increase with each passing second. He had just managed to throw it off, when his eyes, locked into a death glare with his mother's, perceived the shift in hers. It was subtle, yet, as always, it hit Kili hard. It was that change from anger, to sorrow, to hurt, that her son would not confide in her, would not tell her what drove him so. It was the fear he saw in her eyes, that she'd lose him too and how much pain the thought, caused her. And he couldn't bear it. He looked away sharply and jammed his hands in his pockets and stood still in the sidewalk with the evening turning to night and the wind, whipping his dark hair around his face, into a tangle, much like his thoughts. He hated that look. Hated seeing his mother, always so strong, break like this, and hated the fact that it was almost always because of him. But he couldn't tell her. Not yet. Not yet.

Kili didn't' know how much longer they both just stood there, but at last the moment was broken by Uncle Thorin's voice.

"Kili, come inside. Dis let him in. We have a job tonight and he needs to eat and gear up."

Kili looked up at his Uncle's voice and found himself looking into Thorin's none too pleased face. Thorin's eyes bore into him for a moment and then he gestured Kili in. Kili nodded and went in silently behind his mother and Uncle.

Two hours later, Kili and the other's piled out of the company van and entered the premises of Dale's Première Jewelry Company. It was their shift on the rotation tonight. They got into the building after patiently tapping in the codes on the alarm. Once inside, Thorin quickly took charge, pairing up various members of the Company and assigning them jobs to job for their night long shift. Kili waited patiently for his assignment and his partner, having already guessed what both was going to be. Although, he didn't quite relish it.

"Kili, you're with me, we're on the top floor," finished Thorin. Kili nodded and picked up his bag and moved together with his uncle, up the stairs, to the top floor, checking out the other floors as they did so. Once they reached the top floor, they did, as always, a thorough search of the floor, checked the alarms to ensure they hadn't been tampered with, checked all of the openings into the room to ensure, their locks hadn't been tampered with, or forced in any way. When they were satisfied, Kili went to set up his equipment, but Thorin stopped him with a hand on his arm. Kili winced inside and tried not to show it outwardly. This was the part, tonight that he had been most dreading and had also been hoping for.

Thorin took a deep breath and started to open his mouth but Kili beat him to it.

"I'm sorry Uncle," he said, "I didn't mean, really. I mean, I didn't mean what I said last night and, and.." He floundered for a second then came up for air with, "And I'm sorry that I ran off today. I know ti was very irresponsible of me. And, and that I disappointed you,' he finished quietly.

Thorin exhaled and then said, "Apology accepted lad. I am… I too must also offer apologies. I, I have been concentrating too hard on drilling you to become my heir and I seem to have forgotten that you are my nephew first. I'm, I'm sorry lad." He squeezed Kili's shoulder hard and then let go and Kili nodded.

"Apology accepted Uncle," he said softly. Then, to break the awkward moment, he said, "I'm, um, going to set up my equipment now."

Thorin nodded and Kili fled. He went to the window and opened his bag and began setting up his stand, glad for that part to be over. 'That part' consisted of the apologizing. It was a tradition, apparently started by Kili's own father ,Fain, which basically said that anybody who was mad at another person was to apologize to them and settle things between them, before or at the start of a job. It was also one which Mr. B. had whole heartedly approved and Thorin had grudgingly accepted. Especially after Mr. B. had pointed out that having ill feeling between members of a team who were required to support each other and were in potentially hazardous situations, might lead to someone being hurt or even killed, if persons had their minds clouded with anger or were worrying about a quarrel, in a situation where they had to be alert. For Thorin, his proud Uncle, apologizing was hard, but he still did it. Which was one of the things that Kili always admired in him. For Kili himself, apologizing wasn't very hard, except of course when he felt he had nothing to be sorry for. But Kili was in fact very grateful for job nights as it had smoothed over more than one very bad quarrel with his Uncle.

Kili shook his head and concentrated on putting together the pieces of his sniper rifle, which had been in his bag, having already set up its stand. Kili was this particular group's sniper. He was however the best sniper in the entirety of Erebor Corps, not that there were many, snipers apparently being a rare commodity. But Kili had a natural affinity for it. It was the one thing that he excelled at, having excellent aim and a steady hand. Kili had been trained from small to be a sniper, Mr. Dwalin having recognized his talent early. But although Kili often used a gun on their job nights, he preferred a bow. A bow somehow seemed to fit his hand better and to him was a far deadlier weapon and required more skill. Especially a bow like his Bowtech Assassin, which he absolutely loved, but couldn't bring to jobs because it's arrows would run out faster than his bullets.

Kili finally finished assembling his gun and attached it to the stand and settled behind it as he took up primary viewpoint for the company. He adjusted his com piece and announced that he was in position. Behind him, Thorin acknowledged it and went out of the room, and started to patrol the top floor whilst Kili searched through his scope for any potential threat approaching the building. He sighed. It was going to be a long night.


	7. From Fili

**And here is your first view of Fili's POV. Man he is so messed up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

Blood and rage and cold, clear, calculated precision. Strange how those things all mix together. The blood is his, the precision is mine to use to spill his blood, and the rage is mine too. To eat away at me. It is my blessing and my curse. It is the only thing that tells me I'm still human and not quite the beast, whose name I have taken on. It is what passes for my conscience these days, these years. Long ago, too long for me to remember by any other way than the streaking of blood in front of me, there were other emotions there, there were thoughts there, but there aren't any more. Only rage has remained. My vile worm that eats me alive every time I hurt someone else. Killing me but saving me from becoming less than human, less than I've already sunk, saves me from becoming more numb than I've already become.

I hate myself. There's always cynical laughter in my head every timeI think it. Because I do and because the word hate can't possibly begin to describe the depth of loathing I hold within myself for myself. For the way my very soul has been twisted, for the way my precepts, my standards were broken down and these rotting pillars built up instead. They kill me but only by feeding them can I survive. I hate myself for the dark, broken, hard, merciless, creature I've become, when once, I knew, I knew that I'd been different, that I'd once cared, could care. But now I'm nothing more than a killing machine with only self-hate to keep me from stepping over the line.

But that won't be for long. Because I love the way it feels when my muscles ripple under my skin, under my perfect control. I love the way it feels when my fist buries itself in flesh. The sick satisfaction I get when I finish a fight in the smallest number of blows possible. And these days, I can't even hate myself for feeling that way. I'm fighting but I'm fighting against the best fighter I know: myself. And soon enough I'll can't even hate myself anymore and then I'll cross the line and become the monster. And the Beast will have me on a chain. I'll become the Dragon's. For his fire will have devoured me at last and I'll be myself no longer, and I won't even care.


	8. Chapter 8

**Whew! This chapter was hard to write. I hope I managed to do it justice though. The first sort-of meeting between Kili and Fili. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit. **

A few days later Kili found himself walking down the dark, underground corridor, leading to the main ring of the Dragon's Den. As usual, Beorn's information was correct. It was easy to find the location of the Dragon's den and, since he had the way of entry, easy to get in. It was in fact easier to get into the Dragon's Den than it had been to get out of Erebor Corps. A fact Kili couldn't help but appreciate the irony of. However he had manaed to make his escape, all the while cringing,because he knew Thorin was going to be mad at him again and he had had a few days of peace with his Uncle. However, the Drgon's Den was having one of its fight night's today, so he'd had to go.

Kili exited the corridor and entered into the blaring lights and sounds that were a part of every fighting ring. When he had gotten used to the glare, he stood back and studied the place. He was on the top metal walkway which surrounded the Den. Stairs led down to the actual fighting Dragon's Den really wasn't like the other rings. For one, it was much larger. Secondly, it had carpet on its floor. Thiidly the betting process was much smoother. And lastly, the fighters going at it in the ring were of a much higher caliber than he was accustomed to. Kili watched the fight for a moment and then decended the stairs towards the screaming, cheering mob. AS soon as his feet hit the carpet he was approached by the Ring's betting managers. Kili shook his head. He wasn't interested in betting although he igh have earned a fortune by now if he had betteed. Being a ighter himself, he could measure the strengths of fighters very well and so it was eas for him to know who was most like to win.

Fighting rings made money in two ways: the entry fees and the second and most lucrative, betting. The simplest way was that the fighting ring would bet for its own fighters and people could bet against them, for the outside fighters. Then people could bet between themselves but the ring must get a certain percentage of the winnings. Thus a profit was almost always made.

Kili got into the crowd and by dint of much pushing got to somewhere near the front. He eyed the boards and noted that this was the second semi final of the match blocks tonight. There was only the final to go after this match. His attention was drawn back to the ring when one of the opponents cried out. The other fighter quickly moved in and soon the man was unconscious. The referee stepped into the ring and grabbed the winner's arm and lifted it into the air. The crowd screamed in appreciation or anger. The fighter roared with victory. Then the fighter was lead off the ring and into a waiting room, somewhere inside the complex. Around Kili, people went berserk as they tried to place their bets for the next fight. Kili was hard-pressed to keep from being pushed down and from losing his place up front. But he was used to the crowds and even managed to wiggle a little closer to the ring. He eyed the board where the names of the final fighters were flashing. Death's Fists and Lion Prince. The name 'Lion Prince' was flashing in gold, cueing him in that Lion Prince was a fighter owned by the Dragon's Den. Kili took a deep breath in and settled in to wait for the fight to begin so he could get a good look at this Lion Prince.

He had learned long ago to never be overly hopeful or too impulsive. He had seen many blue eyed and blond haired fighters. There weren't actually that many blonds in Dale, but fighting rings recruited from all over so their fighters were always varied. It had made Kili's job a bit harder.

Finally a bell sounded through the room, signifying that all betting was over; the fight was about to begin. The announcer jumped into the ring and began hyping up the already hyped crowd.

"Hey!" he yelled, "You all ready for a fight tonight?!"

"Yeah!" half the crowd yelled back, while, to Kili's surprise, the other half yelled no.

"No?!" screamed the announcer, skipping around the ring. "No?!"

"NO!" yelled back that half of the crowd while the other people looked at them confused.

"That's ma people!" screamed the announcer. "To them people who said yes, it's the Lion Prince who's fighting tonight! You all ready for a fight or a #%* # beatdown?!"

The crowd caught on and screamed with bloodlust. Loud, blaring music came on and from the waiting room the Lion Prince came out.

The first thing Kili really noticed was the way he moved. Unlike like most fighters who came out, pumped up and rearing to go, the Lion Prince strode down the walkway calmly. Kili could understand why the called him the Lion Prince. He moved like a big cat who is taking a stroll in his territory and knows that he has nothing to fear because nothing would dare challenge him here. He walked like he owned the place. You could feel the smugness, the condescension, the confidence, the contempt, the charisma, roll off of him as he approached the ring. Kili felt it penetrate the crowd and infect them. The Lion Prince slipped between the ropes and stalked into the middle of the ring. The crowd roared its appreciation.

Kili got his first good glimpse of the Lion Prince that wasn't obstructed by people's heads or arms. He had gold blond hair, reminiscent of the animal he had taken his name after. It fell in a pony tail, almost to mid-back. He had the faintest hint of stubble on his chin. His had a chiseled jaw line and a bit of a large nose. In fact his appearance was faintly reminiscent of Uncle Thorin's. Kili would have thought that this Lion Prince could be Fili except for one thing. His eyes.

Oh, they were blue alright. The right kind of blue too. They were blue and soulless and cold and filled with a hatred that Kili couldn't fathom. There was darkness there too. A twisted, rotten darkness with strands of cynicism wrapped around and through it. And all of it was framed by a cool, calculating consciousness.

When Kili had looked into his eyes, he had felt like he punched in the gut. All the air in his body either left him or froze in his lungs. He didn't know which. He had never met someone who was like that. He instantly discounted any idea that this Lion Prince could be Fili. He could never be. Fili, Fili was bright and noble. Fili was sunshine. Fili was good. He could never be this twisted, cynical man, who held not a trace of mercy or remorse in his eyes. Who had not a spark of light left in him or a hint of kindness. This was a man who was bred for destruction and had made his breeder proud. There was nothing like Fili in him at all.

The Lion Prince stood watching the crowds dispassionately. Then he lifted his head and let out a snarl. The crowd roared even louder but the Lion Price whirled fluidly and stalked to a corner where he leaned against the ropes, crossed his arms and waited for his opponent to come out.

Death's Fists came out of the waiting room, punching the air and yelling threats. The crowd roared in response. He ran up the short walkway to the ring and vaulted over the ropes and landed perfectly in the middle and roared. The crowd went even wilder. Then Death's Fists went to his corner and both him and the Lion Prince, who hadn't moved from his position, leaning against the ropes, waited for the referee.

The announcer came and called both of them forward. The Lion Prince lazily rocked himself off the ropes and went forward. Death's Fists stalked forward like he had a soul to collect for death himself. The announcer spoke to both of them briefly, quietly, most likely telling them over the sparse rules of underground ring fighting and then sent them back to their corners. Then he stepped outside and yelled: "Fight!" The crowd roared and the two opponents began to circle each other.

They stepped warily for a few steps around the rings and the Kili saw Death's Fists' muscles tense and begin to bulge. D.F. leapt forward, closing the distance between him and the L.P. His hands snapped forward as he launched into a combination of jabs, crosses and elbow strikes. The L.P. had his hands up in an instant and he blocked the first blow and then dodged the rest with an ease that made D.F.'s attack look ridiculous. D.F. didn't seem to be daunted. He feinted to the right and gave a vicious left hook to the L.P.'s face. The L.P. slapped away D.F.'s hook and stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding a right cross from D.F. He found himself abruptly with the ropes on his back.

D.F. grinned; sure now that he had the L.P. on the ropes it would be easy to take him down. To Kili's surprise, the Lion Prince didn't watch D.F. but looked over his head. Kili turned to see what he was looking at. His eyes fell on the large digital clock behind the crowd, that was timing the fight. The fight was only 30 seconds in. He snapped is head back around in time to see the Lion Prince duck under D.F.'s jab, faster than he had ever moved throughout the fight, and then his right hand struck D.F. and blew the rest of his guard right open. To Kili the rest seemed to go in slow motion. He watched as the L.P's left fist connected with D.F.'s side and he heard the sound of the man's ribs breaking. D.F. let out a choking, wheezing sound and staggered backward. The L.P. came up from his crouch, his guard up and then he simply took a step forward and smashed his fist into D.F.'s face. Death's Fist's head snapped back with brutal force and like before Kili heard when his jaw broke. The man fell backward but the Lion Prince reached out and grabbed him by his t-shirt. He pulled him closer, so that he could have a better look. He shook him slightly to see if he was conscious and then, when seeing he was, flung him across the ring.

The announcer came, screaming incomprehensible things. He grabbed the Lion Prince's hand and raised it up to show that he was the victor. Other people came up onto the ring and began to move the unconscious fighter from the ring. Another man though came up onto the announcer and whispered something to him. The announcer nodded and yelled through his microphone.

"Good news folks! The boss has decided that the last fight was too short for your entertainment. He wants me to make a house call! So which one of you wants to go up and fight the legendary Lion Prince!"

Kili sucked in a breath. This was his chance. This was what he'd been waiting for. What he came for. See fighting rings sometimes make 'house calls' where someone from the audience gets to come and fight the top fight for the night. If they win they get the prize for the night. Sometimes they just have you come straight in the ring or other times they use the intimidation tactic and stick you both in the same waiting room. The intimidation tactic though, worked in Kili's favor. It helped him to determine in the fighter could possibly be Fili, if he thought that there was a possibility. He honestly didn't think, that the Lion Prince was Fili, didn't want to think it, but house calls were also were good way to integrate oneself into the ring.

"Me!" shouted out Kili. He pushed past the few people in front of him and leapt up onto the edge of the ring, holding on to the ropes.

"We got a fighter folks!" screamed the announcer. He came over and pushed down the ops for Kili. Kili slipped between the ropes and just like that, he was into the ring.

"What's your name kid?!" asked the announcer. But people in the crowd had already begun to recognize him. Kili wasn't surprised. Many of these people had frequented the rings he had fought at before.

"Black Mane! Black Mane!" they started chanting.

"Black Mane," Kili told him. When he had first started off in the rings, he had gone by a title of his ancestor, The Undying but the ring fans had re-named him Black Mane, most likely in part to his wild hair, that always came loose no matter what he did.

"BLACK MANE!" bellowed the announcer. The crowd screamed in appreciation. Kili spread his arms out and made a small circle, shouting back to the crowd. Then he shrugged off his jacket, threw it outside the ring, and pulled out his MMA gloves from his pocket and drew them on, trying to ignore the cool gaze of the Lion Prince once more leaning in the corner watching the proceedings with his lazy, detached way. But Kili knew he was anything but inattentive.

He finished with his gloves and the announcer called them together and briefly touched on the rules. Kili nodded and tried not to look at the Lion Prince, even though he knew it was inevitable. Then they were sent back to their corners and the announcer yelled for the match to start. Kili steeled himself, feeling the familiar mix of fear, anticipation and delight, churn in his stomach, and stepped forward, his hands held up in the traditional guard position. The Lion Prince did the same and Kili found himself staring into merciless, blue eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

** Yea! The next chapter! Kili and Fili's first fight! I hope you all enjoy! I hope you all can follow the fight. Special thanks to all those MMA movies i saw and to all the Hajime no Ippo i read and watched. What i learnt helped me to write this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit.**

_I will win. I will win. I will win._ Those were Kili's thoughts as he stepped forward, toward the Lion Prince. The Lion Prince attacked first. It was faster than he had ever moved in the last fight with Death's Fists. Either he had decided that Kili was a bigger threat or he just didn't like him. Kili barely dodged the blow. _I will lose gracefully._ The thought came as an instant response to the attack, to his strategic mind's calculations of what a jab that fast meant in relation to him.

_No! No, I will win!_ He refuted the thought even as he dodged another lightning fast jab. He heard the whoosh of the air as the Lion Princes fist just barely missed his ear. Kili snapped back into position after dodging, only to see L.P.'s other fist come straight at his guard. He braced himself and waited, sure his guard was either going to be blown open or his arms were going to snap. Neither happened. He received a stinging blow to his arms, his body rocked back, but his guard stayed intact. Despite the pain, Kili grinned. This Lion Prince was a hard hitter, but he was nothing next to Mr. Dwalin. Nobody, in Kili's private opinion, could hold a candle up to Mr. Dwalin. He saw the fraction of surprise on the Lion's Prince's face, before Kili lashed out with a blow of his own, while his guard was open from the missed blow, and hit him in the face.

L.P. rocked back but regained his balance quickly. As Kili stepped forward, L.P. feinted to the right and Kili got whacked to the side with a roundhouse kick, that knocked the air out his lungs and it felt like his liver, kidneys, and stomach followed. He was knocked off his feet and flew and crashed into the ropes. He was sure his ribs would've been broken if he hadn't dropped his arm in time to shield his side. He dropped to the floor, took a few precious seconds, to breath and then spun on the floor to face the L.P., set his toes on the floor and pushed forward. The Lion Prince side stepped his tackle but Kili flung out his arm and caught his back leg. He tugged hard. That and his momentum tugged the L.P. to the floor. They ended up in a tangled heap. Kili went breathless again from having 100+ pounds fall on him. But he kept his head. If had survived Bomber tackling him, he could survive this. He quickly churned his arms and legs, causing him to rotate under the Lion Prince. Kili grabbed one of his arms and stretched it back. However before his legs could wrap around the other one and complete the grappling hold, the Lion Prince rolled. He rolled over Kili's head and kept going. Kili was pulled over him, courtesy of his grip on L.P.'s arm and the L.P. tugged hard on the arm Kili was still holding and Kili was lifted off of him, into the air and then his back slammed hard on the ring floor. His head snapped back cruelly and bounced a few times on the ground. His world spun, but Kili was used to such blows. He wasn't the heir of Erebor Corps. for nothing. He freed his arm and rolled away. He almost went out of the ring but he grabbed one of the ropes and used his momentum to rock himself back toward the middle. He let go of the rope and came up on one knee. He took one step and was back on his feet, facing the already upright L.P.

This time he didn't wait. He moved forward, throwing a flurry of jabs, interspaced with crosses, hooks and kicks. The L.P. blocked and dodged but was apparently being driven towards the ropes. Soon he was at the ropes and he stayed there for a moment, his body rocked by the blows, but then it came. The moment when, fast as he'd been all night, he moved faster. But Kili was ready. They ducked together. For an instant, in the moment when they were both moving in the curing motion of the duck, their eyes locked and held and Kili was once more blown away by the coldness, the hardness, the anger in those blue eyes. But this time he didn't freeze. They came up in sync but Kili's leg muscles bunched and he pushed up harder than the L.P. The Lion Prince returned into his fighter's crouch but Kili shot into the air. He lifted his arm and his hand came down in a forceful hammer punch. L.P. reacted a second before Kili's punch landed; throwing up his hands over his head. Yet still, the blow drove him down on one knee.

Kili landed back on the mat, only for the L.P. to hit his left knee with the heel of his hand. The leg shot out from under him and Kili found himself falling toward the L.P_. Oh no,_ were his only thoughts. He tried to get his arms up but the blow connected solidly with his face. Kili flew backward, landed hard and almost skidded out the ring. He grabbed the ropes again but more than half his body was outside. The metallic taste of blood filled is mouth.

He could feel people in the crowd, alternately try to push his feet back in pull him out, depending on who they were cheering for. He kicked savagely and got rid of either side. He pulled his legs back in but his luck had run out. The L.P. grabbed his legs, dragged him across the floor, tugging his arms fee of the ropes. When they reached somewhere in the middle, he lifted Kili's legs and whipped them down hard. Kili's body rippled like a piece of rope and his head lifted off the floor and then slammed back with so much force, Kili couldn't even think to register the level of pain. The lights above the ring dimmed and then came back way too bright. Then they seemed to be spinning around him in a psychedelic fashion.

Kili tried to move but his arms didn't listen to him for a moment. A moment that cost him. He felt a hand fist into his jersey and then he was being lifted off of the floor. The next blow rocked his head back again. And the other. And the other. After the third blow, Kili got his arms up. The fourth blow slammed his guard open but Kili pulled it back in place in time to block from the fifth. He locked his arms in place, his only thought being of survival. Somewhere in the rain of blows, Kili remembered he had legs. He lifted one foot and tried to hook it around the Lion Prince's lead leg and throw him of balance. It didn't work. Instead the L.P. shifted, wrapped his own lead leg around Kili's left leg and then dropped.

Kili screamed. For a second his mind was filled with impossible pain and his vision actually filled up black spots. It was a wonder his leg hadn't snapped. But now the Lion Prince had Kili pinned underneath him and was using both hands now. Kili's guard didn't stand a chance. Blows rained down and his arms lost whatever strength they had left. Oddly enough, it was in these moments when Kili heard the crowd, when he hadn't heard them throughout the fight. They cheered or screamed encouragements or just yelled. None of it helped him. His arms were flung out and up, as his guard broke. He didn't even have a moment to realize how much trouble he was in before trouble hit him in the form of several, almost bone shattering blows. Kili felt his mouth burst further and the tang of blood spreads afresh.

Then the blows stopped and Kili felt his jersey being gripped again and he was lifted half off of the floor. He focused and his vision cleared for that moment, in time for him to see the Lion Prince looking at him, his right hand drawn back and cocked behind his head and Kili knew, he _knew_ this one would break bone. He didn't even have the strength to put on a brave show. He felt more vulnerable, more scared and alone, than he ever had before and he knew it showed on his face. Their eyes locked and he waited for the Lion Prince's fist to descend but he hesitated. It was probably only for a second but the second stretched out for Kili and in that second he saw something he didn't expect to see. He had expected to see coldness and contempt in the eyes of the Lion Prince, and they were there. But something else was there too. For a moment he thought he saw regret, he though he saw softness, a bare hint of kindness and an I-don't-want-to-do-this-ness. Then the Lion Prince's fist descended and Kili blacked out.


	10. Inside My Head: Otherwise

**Whoohoo! Your second look inside Fili's mind. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit.**

Fili POV.

The water is cold and clear as it runs over my shaking, busted hands. I had expected it to help clear my mind, to strip away these strange feelings, to calm my mind. But it didn't. Instead watching my hands, streaming blood from my battered knuckles, I am reminded of what I want to forget. I am reminded of that moment. Of him. Why did I hesitate? I know why. But why is that why there? I have seen the same look in the eyes of many others and have only felt contempt or nothing at all. But why? Why did that scared, lonely, vulnerable look in his eyes, on his face tear at me so? Tear at my heart as if trying to reach something below its frozen surface? I shifted my hands under the water and more blood streams out and I am reminded that I bruised my hands so, on him and once again that same feeling of disgust and self hate, roils up. I clench my fists under the water and this time, go over the moment deliberately. The point where his vision clears and he recognizes his predicament. The look of despair when he knows, that I am going to break something. The vulnerable look, the fright, as it plays about his expression-able face and then, the loneliness. The loneliness that echoed out further than that moment in the ring. I wouldn't have cared. I don't care. But for some reason, even now as I replay it. Something about the way he looks makes me feel, well, bad. There is harsh, cynical laughter in my head. A kid, making me feel bad about hitting him, when he asked for the fight in the first place. And a kid he was. He knew nothing of the world. But he was a good fighter. He'd lasted longer than I'd expected. And that, that was the only reason I'd pulled my last punch. A token of my appreciation. There was no other reason, even if my messed up head was trying to tell me otherwise.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey I know it's short, but I hope you all still enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

Kili awoke hurting. It wasn't the first time he had done so but honestly, it's not like pain ever not hurts. He tried to open his eyes properly but found the most he could manage was a small slit. His eyelids didn't, couldn't open further due to the swelling. Kili turned his head carefully, trying to gauge where he was and what time it was. It was still dark, thankfully, meaning he hadn't been out for long and it appeared that he was sitting in the alley outside of the underground entrance for the Dragon's Den. Darn the ground was hard! Kili tried to get up, only to sit back down hard. His body didn't feel like obeying him at the moment. He let out a small groan and quickly tried to stifle it.

"Easy," said a voice. Kili turned his head a fraction more to see a dark figure standing next to him, a cigarette in one hand, blowing smoke out leisurely. He instantly tensed and studied the figure. Finally he asked:

"Beorn?" he croaked.

The man nodded. Kili sighed and relaxed. The man was one of Beorn's employees. After a few moments the man stubbed out his cigarette and stooped down next to Kili and lent him a hand. With much struggling, and much pain on Kili's part, they managed to get Kili upright. The world swam and did a Mexican wave in front of his slitted eyes and every part of him felt like it was tearing apart, while on fire. Even the marrow in his bones hurt. Altogether he felt like Mr. Dwalin had strung him up and used him as a punch bag. Okay, no, not that bad. But still.

Together they hobbled out of the alleyway, down several streets and finally came to a major road where they stood; waiting for a taxi to carry Kili back to the waiting, axe wielding hands, of Erebor Corps. Being that this would be the worst he's ever come home, his head was sure to roll. Kili gritted his teeth while they waited in an attempt to not let a single noise of pain emit from his lips. Finally after ages, a taxi came and Kili was duly bundled into it and the driver paid triple for the state of the blood covered Durin.

In sharp contrast, the trip to Erebor Corps. was rather short. A fact Kili did not like one bit, but at the moment was starting no to care. All he wanted to lie down in his bed, take a mountain of pain killers and go to sleep and wake up in the morning with absolutely no pain. It was a nice dream and had not a chance of coming true but Kili basked in it for the few moments of life it had, before reality shot it in the back.

He didn't bother to sneak in this time. He had no energy. He walked into the front doors, took the elevator to the top suite, stepped out and promptly collapsed at his Uncle's feet. All he heard was a startled gasp of "Kili!" from his mother and an equally startled grunt from his Uncle before he lost unconsciousness for the second time night.


End file.
